Disposable absorbent pants for receiving and retaining bodily discharges such as urine or feces are well known in the art. Examples of these include disposable diapers, training pants, adult incontinence articles, absorbent underwear, and the like (herein referred to collectively as “diaper(s)” and “absorbent pant(s)”). Traditionally, disposable diapers comprise a liquid permeable inner layer that faces the wearer's body, a liquid impermeable outer layer that faces the wearer's clothing, and an absorbent layer interposed between the inner layer and the outer layer.
Since their introduction into the market place, disposable diapers have continued to improve in terms of comfort, fit, and functionalities, such as absorption capacity. Absorption capacity is quite important for diapers, and many attempts have been made to increase absorption of disposable diapers without undesirably compromising the comfort and fit of the diaper.
Even with these attempts to increase absorption capacity, diaper leaks and blowouts are still common. Leaks can occur, for example, if the disposable diaper is not the correct size for the wearer. A diaper that is too small can be prone to leaking because there isn't enough absorbent material for the volume of liquid. Likewise, a diaper that is too big may also leak because it does not fits snugly around the waist and legs of the wearer, and liquid may leak out at these areas before it can be absorbed. Leaks can also occur when a large volume of liquid is discharged in the diaper at a rate that exceeds the absorption rate of the diaper.
Furthermore, even the most absorbent diapers cannot generally prevent diaper blowouts, where waste escapes from the diaper. Blowouts can occur when the waste has a consistency that is too big to cross the liquid permeable inner layer into the absorbent layer and therefor collects inside the diaper on the inner layer. Blowouts tend to happen at the upper front and/or back edge of the diaper where it is hardest to create a seal between the diaper and the wearer's body.
Existing diapers do not adequately address the problem of diaper leakage and blowouts because the inner layer is generally flat on the inside, with no structure capable of physically capturing and containing excess liquid and/or waste that is not absorbed by the diaper. The excess liquid and/or waste simply gets pushed up and out of the top and sides of the diaper.
Furthermore, because of the generally flat inner layer of existing diapers, the inner layer lays flat against the wearer's skin. There is generally no space between the surface of the inner layer and the wearer's skin to allow air circulation in the area. When the inner layer is wet, this can result in increased odor and irritation of the wearer's skin in the area.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved disposable diapers with structure that can adequately contain excess liquid and/or waste and reduce the incidence of leakage and/or blowouts. There is a need for improved disposable diapers with structure that can provide improved handling of liquid and/or waste and more effectively intake and contain liquid and/or waste during use. Further, there is a need for disposable diapers with structure that can minimize the amount of moisture in contact with the wearer's skin and enhance air circulation in areas contacting the wearer's skin.